Settled in the early 1860s, North Bend was first called Snoqualmie and later called Mountain View. With a population around 4000, North Bend is situated at the entrance to the Cascade Mountains and nestled at the foot of Mount Si. Residents and visitors to the area enjoy downhill and cross country skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, mountain climbing, camping, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, bicycling, swimming. With easy access to I-90, it is a local stop on the way through Cascades, with a thriving tourism business. The area is largely rural, but is very close to Bellevue and Seattle.